HSK 3.0: dates, word counts and the new exam format
HSK 3.0 opens worldwide on 13 December 2026. This page sums up the key dates, the number of words per level under the 2025 exam syllabus and the shape of the Level 1–6 papers, so you know what to study now.
Updated 17 October 2026 · Study Chinese team
Three dates to write down
- 16 Nov 2026
Paper-based registration closes
Deadline 24:00 Beijing time (23:00 WIB) for the paper-based HSK 3.0.
- 3 Dec 2026
Internet-based registration closes
Deadline 24:00 Beijing time (23:00 WIB) for the internet-based HSK 3.0.
- 13 Dec 2026
HSK 3.0 officially starts
The exam with the new format and word list opens worldwide on the same day.
Source: notice from the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (China's Ministry of Education), republished on chisa.edu.cn. Sessions and test centers can change: always check again on chinesetest.cn before you register.
"HSK 3.0" is two documents, not one
Most articles about HSK 3.0 say Level 1 has 500 words and the total is 11,092. Those numbers come from the 2021 national standard (GF0025-2021), a general guideline for international Chinese education. That standard is not an exam specification.
The papers are written from the November 2025 HSK exam syllabus. It keeps nine levels, but the lower levels have far fewer words, and part of the word list differs from the 2021 standard. If you study from the 2021 list, you can end up memorizing words that are not tested and missing words that are.
| Level | New words (2025 syllabus) | Total up to this level (2025 syllabus) | Total up to this level (2021 standard) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 299 | 299 | 500 |
| 2 | 199 | 498 | 1.272 |
| 3 | 494 | 992 | 2.245 |
| 4 | 993 | 1.985 | 3.245 |
| 5 | 1.589 | 3.574 | 4.316 |
| 6 | 1.786 | 5.360 | 5.456 |
| 7–9 | 5.578 | 10.938 | 11.092 |
The 2025 syllabus figures are the words we teach on the HSK 3.0 track of the Study Chinese app, counted from the syllabus word list for each level. Other sources may differ by a few words, depending on how they count repeated entries and words with two readings. Levels 7, 8 and 9 share one vocabulary band.
The HSK 3.0 Level 1–6 papers
The item counts and durations below come from the official 汉考国际 (Chinese Testing International) document New HSK Levels 1–6: Exam Structure and Sample Items, published December 2025.
| Level | Listening | Reading | Writing | Total items | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | 20 | – | 40 | about 40 min |
| 2 | 25 | 25 | 10 | 60 | about 60 min |
| 3 | 30 | 30 | 10 | 70 | about 83 min |
| 4 | 32 | 32 | 6 | 70 | about 85 min |
| 5 | 35 | 35 | 2 | 72 | about 110 min |
| 6 | 40 | 40 | 2 | 82 | about 125 min |
The changes you will notice most
- Less and less pinyin. At Level 1 pinyin is on every item and every answer option. At Level 2 it is only on the reading sentences, at Level 3 only above the writing blanks, and from Level 4 there is none at all.
- Handwriting characters only at Levels 2–3. From Level 4 the writing section is composition: sentences from pictures, then a short essay (at least 80 characters at Level 4).
- More answer options. Levels 1–3 use three options; from Level 4 there are four.
- No official pass mark yet. The 2025 document gives no total score or pass mark for any level. The "300 / 180" figures you often see belong to HSK 2.0.
Study HSK 2.0 or HSK 3.0?
Check your exam date. Exams held before 13 December 2026 still use HSK 2.0 (Levels 1–6). Exams from 13 December 2026 use HSK 3.0. If you have no exam date yet and are just starting, start with HSK 3.0, because that is the format you will sit.
How to register in Indonesia
- Go to chinesetest.cn, create an account, then choose your level and test type (paper or internet).
- Choose a test center in your city and a session that is still open. In Indonesia, test centers include Confucius Institutes, for example the Confucius Institute at UNESA in Surabaya.
- Pay the exam fee as your test center instructs, then print your admission ticket (准考证) before exam day.
Practice HSK 3.0 with Study Chinese
The Study Chinese app already has an HSK 3.0 track for Levels 1–9 that follows the 2025 syllabus, next to the classic HSK 2.0 track.
Vocabulary by level
Every 2025 syllabus word with pinyin, Indonesian and English meanings, audio and spaced-repetition review cards.
See the appMock exams in the new format
Full papers for HSK 3.0 Levels 3–9 and HSK 2.0 Levels 3–6, scored like the real exam. Included in Study Chinese Plus.
See the appHSK prep classes
Prefer learning with a teacher? JadeClass HSK prep classes run online with professional teachers.
HSK prep programThe starting HSK 2.0 level is free. The HSK 3.0 track and the mock exams are in Study Chinese Plus.
HSK 3.0 questions
When does HSK 3.0 start?
On 13 December 2026, worldwide. Registration for the paper-based test closes on 16 November 2026 and for the internet-based test on 3 December 2026, both at 24:00 Beijing time (23:00 WIB).
How many words are in HSK 3.0 Level 1?
About 300 under the November 2025 exam syllabus (299 in our app). The often-quoted 500 comes from the 2021 national standard, not from the exam syllabus.
How many levels does HSK 3.0 have?
Nine: elementary (1–3), intermediate (4–6) and advanced (7–9). Levels 7, 8 and 9 share one vocabulary band.
What is the HSK 3.0 pass mark?
There is no official figure yet. The 2025 exam structure document gives no total score or pass mark. The 300 and 180 figures are HSK 2.0 rules.
Do I still need to study HSK 2.0?
Only if your exam is before 13 December 2026. From that date the exam is HSK 3.0, so beginners should follow the 2025 syllabus word list from the start.
Start practicing HSK 3.0 today
2025 syllabus vocabulary, mock exams in the new format and tone scoring right on your phone, with Bao the panda.